Peripheral neuropathy Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for dermatitis and bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, secondary to diabetes mellitus type II. The decision is based on the presumption of herbicide agent exposure in Vietnam.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the right upper, left upper, right lower, and left lower extremities due to exposure to herbicide agents.

The Veteran's multiple service-connected conditions, including PTSD, CAD, and diabetic peripheral neuropathy, have rendered him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted a TDIU based on the combined disability rating of at least 80 percent.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left lower extremity sensory motor axonal neuropathy, finding that there is no evidence of such conditions during or within one year after service. The Board also found that these conditions are not related to his service-connected pes planus.

The Veteran's treatment at Fort Sanders Loudoun Medical Center on September 4, 2016 was for a condition of such severity that immediate medical attention was necessary to avoid serious health risks. The closest VA facilities were not feasibly available and an attempt to use them beforehand would have been impractical.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his thoracolumbar strain with degenerative changes and posttraumatic stress disorder, rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation as of June 11, 2012.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities (claimed as sciatic nerve condition), diabetic retinopathy, and erectile dysfunction secondary to the Veteran's service-connected left knee condition. The decision is based on evidence showing that obesity, a result of the service-connected left knee condition, contributed to the development of diabetes mellitus type II, which in turn caused or aggravated the other conditions.

The Board has ordered remand for the following reasons: obtaining outstanding VA records, scheduling updated examinations to assess lower extremity neuropathy, and addressing the issue of TDIU. The Veteran's service-connected low back strain, right and left lower extremity neuropathy, and chronic cervical strain are all being reviewed.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for various types of peripheral neuropathy, including left and right lower extremity and upper extremity conditions. The remand requires obtaining VA medical records from 1969 onwards and scheduling an updated VA examination to determine if any of these conditions are related to service or herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's PTSD symptoms most nearly approximate occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity, warranting a 50 percent rating. The Board also found that the Veteran is unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities, granting TDIU.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations for stroke residuals and peripheral neuropathy of the right upper extremity are inadequate, necessitating remand to obtain new opinions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, bilateral peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities, and bilateral peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities due to exposure to Agent Orange are all granted.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error, and additional development is needed to determine if the Veteran's service-connected disabilities alone require the need for aid and attendance.

The Veteran's appeals for heart block, peripheral neuropathy, hypertension, and tinnitus have been dismissed due to his death.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tremors affecting his bilateral upper extremities is remanded due to a lack of an adequate medical examination and opinion prior to the October 2021 decision.

The Board has granted special monthly compensation (SMC) for loss of use of the right foot and ankle, finding that no effective function remains other than what would be equally well served by amputation below the knee with a suitable prosthetic appliance. The decision is based on evidence from VA treating podiatrists who assessed the severity of the Veteran's service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran is not entitled to SMC at a rate intermediate between SMC(l) and SMC(m) (SMC(p)) because he does not have an additional disability rated as 50 or 100 percent disabling.,The Veteran's claim for higher level of SMC, claimed as entitlement to SMC(t), is denied due to the lack of evidence showing that he requires a 'higher level of care' than what is required for regular aid and attendance.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence was received after the final April 2008 denial, warranting readjudication of the claim for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities. The low back disability is granted as related to parachute jumps in service. Service connection for degenerative joint disease of the right knee is also granted. However, the claims for chronic sinusitis and peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities are remanded due to a duty to assist error.

The Board denied service connection for left and right upper extremity disorders other than the service-connected left ulnar and median nerve impairment or the right median nerve impairment.

The Veteran's right upper extremity neuropathy is rated at 20 percent, and his depressive disorder is rated at 100 percent effective July 30, 2014. The TDIU claim was denied as the Veteran did not meet the schedular rating criteria for a TDIU prior to July 30, 2014.